Delivery worker by night, You Yeong-gwang penned breakout bestseller 'Rainfall Market' at bus stop

Debut novel invites readers into dokkaebi-run magical market open only once a year

You Yeong-gwang (Hwang Dong-hee/The Korea Herald)

You Yeong-gwang struggled with his vision for some time. It was painful to look at bright lights after eye surgery. With job options suddenly limited, he worked as a telemarketer at a call center to make ends meet, facing verbal abuse every day. After years of living like that, he couldn't go on.

His escape came with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the boom in food delivery jobs it brought.

His eyesight having recovered, he headed to Gangnam-gu where the work was most plentiful, riding a motorcycle through the bustling steets to handle multiple deliveries at a time.

While waiting for orders, he jotted down notes on his phone about a place called Rainbow Town, "dokkaebi" (mythical Korean goblins) and a glass orb.

During the sweltering summer months, he changed his delivery hours to cooler nighttime hours. He typically finished around 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., but the first bus home was not until 5:30 a.m.

So, for two or three hours each night, he found solace at a bus stop near Gangnam Station, organizing his notes and weaving them into the story that would become his coming-of-age fantasy novel, “The Rainfall Market."

It was a breakout success. Even before its official launch in Korea, the book had secured a major deal with a UK publisher, and as of February, rights to the book have been sold in more than 20 countries in 18 languages.

"The bus stop wasn’t just an ordinary waiting area; it was the best workspace I could ask for," You, 41, said cheerfully in a recent interview with The Korea Herald.

"It had a grand view of the city, an air-conditioning system and a convenience store right behind it, where I could charge my phone and grab a drink. I didn't have an air conditioner at home, so on those hot summer nights, it felt like a luxury. I’d say I had the most expensive office right in the heart of Gangnam.”

Physical exhaustion, financial instability and an uncertain future marked his days. On the outside, his situation must have seemed bleak, You reflected. But when he was writing, he entered a world of his own.

"I remember feeling pure joy when I was writing. It was the one thing that kept me going."

Everything changed overnight when You launched a crowdfunding campaign on Tumblbug, a popular platform for independent creators. On the first day, the funding goal was exceeded by an amount he had never imagined. Soon, publishers began reaching out, and just like that, You became one of the biggest literary stars of the year.

Korean edition (left) and English edition of "The Rain Fall Market" (Clayhouse, Michael Joseph, Ace)

Turning longing into story of magical escape

“The Rainfall Market” follows Serin, a high school student, invited to visit a market that opens only once a year when it rains. Here, she is offered the chance to swap her life for a better one, but she has just one week to find perfect happiness. If she fails, she risks being trapped in the market forever. Accompanied by Isha the cat, Serin searches through bookstores, hair salons and perfumeries, all the while followed by a mysterious shadow.

You shared that Serin is a reflection of himself.

“I wrote the character with a lot of my own experiences in mind. Serin embodies the feelings I had as a child, including moments of resentment toward her family and the struggles she faces,” he said.

“I often wondered why I couldn’t have been born into a more ordinary family, or why I had to care for my ailing mother while grappling with my own challenges. In my darkest moments, I wished that someone could transform my misery into happiness.”

In exploring the meaning of true happiness through Serin’s adventure, You drew from his own experiences in various part-time jobs he held in his 30s.

"The different worlds that Serin peers into through glass orbs, many of the scenes were inspired by things I encountered in my jobs," he said.

While working as an assistant at a bank, he was once encouraged to take a posting abroad, but those who had just returned from overseas expressed feelings of loneliness. In another instance, while working a part-time job, he observed his self-employed boss worrying about next month’s rent. Conversely, he saw officials with stable incomes who were bored with their lives.

“I realized that everyone has their own burdens, even if they appear to be in enviable positions.”

Just as he wove a tapestry of his experiences, he also infused his own personality traits into his characters -- especially the dokkaebi.

“Many dokkaebi have noticeable flaws, and I wanted to distribute my own shortcomings among them and exaggerate the shortcomings.”

“Just today, I accidentally took the subway in the wrong direction on a short trip. And I’ve often been told, ‘Why can’t you grasp this?’ I usually need to hear something multiple times before it makes sense. This inspired the dokkaebi who has poor hearing," You said.

Another dokkaebi, who runs a hair salon and frequently stumbles, reflects You’s own tendency to trip and injure himself, the author confessed.

Solving puzzle of happiness

“I think happiness is like a hidden picture puzzle,” said You.

“When I was younger, I loved solving these puzzles. At first glance, nothing stands out. No matter how hard I look, I can’t find them. Eventually, though, if I keep searching, I start to see them -- a cane around someone's neck, a seagull in a pair of glasses. I used to think I had no reason to be happy, but taking a closer look, I realized that there are hidden joys.”

You mentioned writing is also a process of personal healing.

“Writing has been my only escape. The stories I write are essentially reminders to myself that everyone has their own seasons to blossom. I didn’t write to teach others or dictate how to live. Rather, I often forget about happiness. This book is a collection of reminders that I’ve written to revisit during difficult times.”

You hopes it can help others who find themselves in similar situations, if possible.

He is currently working on his next novel about a robot who wants to become a hero but is on the brink of being discarded.

“When I was really struggling, I had insomnia and panic disorder, and I found it hard to breathe. I felt like I was a defective product.”

“I want to say that a robot, who is trying so hard to become a hero, doesn’t have to force itself into that role. I want to reassure it that it’s okay just as it is.”

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In this series, The Korea Herald introduces Korean literature through translated works, offering interviews with authors or translators as well as reviews, inviting readers to explore the vibrant literary landscape of Korea. -- Ed.

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"The Rainfall Market"

written You Yeong-gwang, translated by Slin Jung

Michael Joseph, November 2024 (UK)

Ace, January 2025 (US)

hwangdh@heraldcorp.com